‘Invisible Group’ of Teens Could Face Psychiatric Risks

Anxiety and depression are just a few of the mental health conditions that teens who use substances experience when compared to teens who do not use substances. But according to a new study, certain lifestyle habits could contribute to psychiatric risks.

Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet found that there is an «invisible risk» group of teens. They tend to be characterized by high media use, low exercise levels, and low sleep. These teens have a higher risk of psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts,

The study included 12,000 teens from 11 different European countries. The teens were grouped by their engagement in nine different risk factors: excessive alcohol use, illegal drug use, heavy smoking, reduced sleep, overweight, underweight, sedentary behavior, high media use and truancy.

Of the teens, 13.2 percent were in the high risk group, scorig high in all categories. About 57.8 percent of the teens made up the low risk group, scoring low in all categories. Yet the third «invisible group» made up 29 percent of the participants.

When researchers looked the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms among the groups, they saw that the high risk group experienced more peer problems, suicidal thoughts or attempts, depression, and anxiety when compared to the low risk group. But what researchers saw was that a high percentage of teens in the «invisible group» also experienced these psychiatric symptoms.

«Adult observers (e.g., parents, teachers and mental health professionals) do not generally perceive these behaviours [of the invisible risk group] as particularly harmful or reasons for concern,» researchers wrote in the study. But they did point out that while there is prevalence for psychiatric problems in the invisible group, they are more likely to manifest in emotional symptoms and peer problems, and less as conduct problems and hyperactivity.